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Centrality of Christ in Spiritual Growth

Mar 30, 2025

Lecture Notes: Friends in Christ Sabbath Meeting

Introduction

  • Small group of Seventh Day Adventists known as Friends in Christ.
  • Key focus on Jesus Christ as the central power and influence.
  • Open to anyone by faith in Jesus Christ.
  • Weekly inspiration from the Sabbath school quarterly.
  • The program is available on YouTube under Lesie McMillan.

Key Points

Importance of Jesus Christ

  • Jesus is the only source of eternal life.
  • Christ is above any church organization or denomination.
  • Emphasis on a personal, faith-based connection with Jesus.

Recent Sabbath School Lesson

  • Focus on God's love and justice.
  • Discussion on the twin commandments of love:
    • Love God with all your heart and soul.
    • Love your neighbor as yourself.
  • Importance of prioritizing spiritual connections.

Reflections on Spiritual Priorities

  • "First things first" approach:
    • Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
    • The kingdom is identified as Jesus Christ within us.
  • Illustrative questions:
    • What comes first: the chicken or the egg?
    • What comes first: love for God or acts of kindness?

Jesus and Spiritual Life

  • Jesus as the shepherd and believers as His sheep.
  • Being a sheep is more important than acts of kindness alone.
  • True spiritual life starts with a connection to Jesus.

Group Discussion

  • Members shared insights from personal studies.
  • Encouragement to reflect on Christ's supremacy.
  • Personal testimonies about life transformation through Christ.

Assurance of Salvation

  • Emphasis on being assured of salvation despite imperfections.
  • Assurance is in Christ, not in personal strength or law-keeping.

Reflections on Love and Kind Acts

  • Love and good deeds should stem from genuine faith and connection to Christ.
  • Sheep (believers) naturally perform acts of kindness as they are led by Christ.

Closing Thoughts

  • Encouragement to remain connected with Christ.
  • Assurance of eternal life in Him is paramount.
  • Sharing personal experiences and growth in faith.

Conclusion

  • Reaffirmation of faith in Christ as the source of eternal life.
  • Encouragement to continue spiritual growth and share Christ's love.

Overall, the meeting emphasized the centrality of Christ in spiritual life, the importance of prioritizing a personal connection with Jesus, and the natural outflow of good works from a life rooted in Him. The group encouraged open sharing and reflection on personal spiritual journeys.

Full transcript